The present invention generally relates to games and game apparatus. More specifically, this invention relates to a projectile-target game apparatus that includes a ball that is projected by a gun and an upper body garment to which the ball adheres to when projected toward a player wearing the garment.
Various projectile-target games and apparatus are known in the prior art wherein a garment-adhering ball is thrown toward a player wearing a ball-adhering upper body garment. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,291 to Appel et al. a projectile-target game apparatus is disclosed comprising a releasably bonding projectile and a cap having a projectile-adhering surface. U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,334 to Stewart discloses a projectile-target game apparatus that includes a vest-type garment having projectile adhering front and rear surfaces and a projectile configured to travel in an abnormal trajectory when thrown. U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,548 to Conner shows a projectile-target ball game apparatus including a ball disposed in a garment-adhering jacket and a ball-adhering upper body garment. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,152 to Butler a projectile-target ball game apparatus is disclosed that includes a projectile formed to produce eddies in the air when the projectile is thrown and a projectile-adhering garment to be worn by a player.
Certain limitations in the prior art projectile-target game apparatus are overcome by the ball game apparatus of the present invention. Firstly, the prior art disclosures are directed to apparatus for use by two or more players. The various upper body garments are worn by respective players and the projectile is tossed between players. These apparatus thus cannot be used for play by one person. Secondly, in the prior art projectile-target game apparatus the projectile is tossed by hand between players. Skillful play is therefore dominated by the motor skills of the participants. Thirdly, the projectile-target game apparatus in the prior art having scoring indicia disposed on the upper body garment have such scoring indicia randomly disposed thereon absent any strategical or "real-world" relationship between the score value and the position of the associated surface relative to the body of the player.